1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fastener and quick release system for removable storm and hurricane shutters for building door and window openings. The quick release mechanism can be readily actuated from inside the building for fast egress in an emergency. The quick release fastener 18 which is mounted at the outside on the free end of each stud is shown in Applicants' pending patent application, U.S. application Ser. No. 10/908,999 filed Jun. 3, 2005 entitled: “Escape Mechanism for Hurricane Shutters,” the contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application.
2. Description of Related Art
The utilization of protective coverings for doors and windows such as storm shutters and hurricane shutters is well known in the prior art. Many hurricane shutters that cover windows and doors are bolted in place with a series of overlapping panels that are mounted in rigid tracks using bolts and other fasteners to hold each shutter panel in position.
One of the drawbacks of such hurricane shutters is that anyone inside of a building having the window and door openings covered with hurricane shutters cannot get out while the shutters are fastened in place from the outside without, in most cases, going outside of the building and unfastening all of the bolt fasteners to remove each panel. Another drawback to conventional shutters is the fact that if the building required immediate ingress or access such as from the fire department or police department, again, at least one shutter panel would have to be individually removed. Such a requirement is time consuming.
Shutters that are utilized to make the job of installing or removing shutters faster and easier have been shown in the prior art.
One of the purposes of the invention described herein is to provide conventional reliable, sturdy hurricane and storm shutters for building windows and doors, and a shutter panel quick release mechanism that can be activated from inside the building that allows each shutter panel to be easily and quickly removed from the building itself in case of an emergency. However, when in place, the shutters are securely anchored, covering the building window or door areas.